Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian Federation's Weekly E-Newsletter

Giovanni, the American Vaulting Association's 2008 Horse of the Year.
Photo by Primo Ponies Photography

American Vaulting Association Names Suzanne Detol Lifetime Achievement Award Winner at Annual Convention

The American Vaulting Association celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding and presented its most prestigious awards to its members at its Annual Convention last week.

Suzanne Detol, a longtime AVA member, FEI (O) level judge, coach and lunger, was presented the coveted AVA Lifetime Achievement Award for her entire scope of vast contributions over the past 35 years. A former vaulter herself, Detol chairs the AVA’s Technical Committee and Judges Program, and has run the organization’s coveted medal testing program for more than 20 years. She also co-chairs the USEF Vaulting Committee and has become known internationally for her knowledge and dedication to the growth of the sport.

Giovanni, a 17.2-hand Mecklenburger owned by the Woodside Vaulters, was named 2008 AVA Horse of the Year. The 12-year-old Giovanni was selected by recognized judges during the USEF/AVA competition season based on consistent performance with vaulters, way of going and turnout. In 2008, he teamed with three Woodside Vaulter individuals to earn spots on the USEF team that went to the Vaulting World Championships in Brno, Czech Republic, and also teamed with vaulter Ali Divita to win the USEF/AVA National Women’s Gold Individual Championships.

Chester Weber and team from the Sunshine State FEI Combined Driving Event featuring Weber's new horse, Reno W, with the blaze.
Photo Courtesy Chester Weber

Chester Weber Starts 2009 Season with a Victory At Sunshine State FEI Combined Driving Event

Combined driver Chester Weber continued his goal of qualifying for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games by winning the FEI division for four-in-hand horses at the Sunshine State FEI Combined Driving Event held at the Florida Horse Park. Weber, who was recently named a 2008 Equestrian of Honor by the United States Equestrian Federation, was pleased with his weekend, which included a first place in the dressage, FEI horse team and the marathon course.

While Team Weber dominated the competition, there was a new equine team member aboard for the drive to the winner’s circle. The new horse, Reno W, is a five-year-old bay with a white blaze. “It means a lot to be able to continue to lead the way here in the United States while developing a young horse,” Weber said, following their win. “Reno W is a promising newcomer to support the group for WEG.”

Rolex W and Jamaica, Weber’s horse who earned the highest honor in the horse industry when he was recently named the 2008 USEF Horse of the Year, stayed at home so the young Reno W could experience competition. The winning FEI Horse Team in Dressage consisted of Grumus, Senate, Para and Reno W with a score of 35.20.

More Driving News

Two USEF Training Sessions for Combined Driving to be Held at Carolina Horse Park

Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) Becomes Title Sponsor of the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has benefited from the support of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the makers of Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), in a number of different programs and championships since 2005. In 2009, Adequan® will continue to make a huge difference in the equestrian world by signing on as the title sponsor for the 2009 Adequan® North American Junior/Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC).

Georgina Bloomberg aboard Street of Diamonds during her win of the $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series IX.
Photo by Ken Braddick

Georgina Bloomberg Ends Two-Year Drought at WEF; Wins Over Near Record Field in WEF Challenge on Street of Diamonds

Georgina Bloomberg piloted Street of Diamonds into the winner's circle after a two-year drought at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) when the pair won the $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series IX Thursday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Bloomberg and Street of Diamonds, owned by Gotham Enterprizes, were among only six combinations to go clear from the highest number of starters so far in 2009 FTI WEF and the second highest number in the 20-year history of the series. Ninety were listed to start Thursday, but four withdrew. The highest number of starters in the WEF Challenge was 96 in 2000.

The New York rider and her mount posted a double-clear time of 40.66 secsonds, 0.79 seconds faster than Andrew Welles of Long Lake, MN, and Cypria 6, owned by Peter Welles, who were the only other double clear. Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa, the 2004 Olympic Individual Gold medalist, was third on the Double H Farm-owned Rufus.

More Hunter/Jumper News

Delaware Youth Wins "Cash" in Morgan Essay Contest

Christie Little, age nine, of Harrington, DE, is the winner of the Morgan horse, "Cash," or CBMF Walk The Line, as part of an essay contest sponsored by the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and Team Morgan.

Cash was generously donated to the contest by Ann Hailey of Copper Beech Morgans in New Albany, OH, which promoted the Morgan breed and raised funds for Team Morgan to travel to and host international equitation competitions

Changes for 2009 Kentucky State Fair Pleasure, Park, Western Invitational Qualifying Requirements Announced; Junior Exhibitor Park Horses Added

The Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show has announced the changes to its Qualifying Requirements for 2009.

The significant changes pertaining to show pleasure, country pleasure and park are as follows:

1. A trainer or any member of his family may not show a customer’s show pleasure or country pleasure horse in order to qualify it for the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show.

Once again, both weeks of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show will be held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, just outside the Houston city limits in Katy, TX. Pin Oak, which runs March 18-29, will take over the entire facility to accommodate over 1,500 horses from all over the world.

Beginning March 18, Week One will feature American Saddlebreds, Welsh ponies, jumpers, a dressage exhibition, United Mountain Horses, Andalusians and Lusitanos. Also featured is Riding for Reading, which promotes reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities. Enjoy a ringside dinner during Championship Night on Saturday that starts with the Saddlebred and Andalusian Championship classes and continues on to feature the $30,000 Nordic Lights Farm Grand Prix.

Kassandra Barteau and Marco Bernal Win Dressage Training Online High Score Awards at Palm Beach Dressage Derby

Dressage riders Kassandra Barteau and Marco Bernal rode away winners at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, both winning high score awards sponsored by Dressage Training Online. Barteau captured the USEF Level High Score and Bernal took home the FEI High Score CDI.

“We love the opportunity to recognize the horses and riders who excel at this prestigious show,” said Dressage Training Online founder Reisa Bonetti. “We know the commitment it takes to succeed at this level of competition.”

The American Horse Council (AHC) has asked the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to use stimulus funding for trails.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed into law on February 17 appropriates over $1.7 billion for the NPS, USFS, and BLM that can be used for the maintenance and construction of trails and other infrastructure improvements on public lands.

One of the more debilitating disablements for a horse trailer is axle failure. In addition to putting you and your horse(s) at great danger by disabling you on the side of the highway, axle failure presents an on-the-scene repair challenge.

“In most cases of axle failure, it will be necessary for you or your motor plan to locate emergency stabling for your horse(s), as well as alternative transportation to the stabling facility. This will require you to unload and reload your horses in an undesirable area. In these rare instances, USRider will request a police presence to stop traffic while the horses are being moved,” said Mark Cole, managing member of USRider.

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, set to return to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 23-26, is pleased to announce that NBC will broadcast a one-hour program on the CCI**** on Sunday, May 3. This marks the sixth straight year that NBC is airing coverage of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

In addition to the NBC telecast, the final round of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will air live on Sunday, April 26, on Universal Sports Network (USN), a new member of the NBC family of networks.

Good news awaits when you renew your membership online for 2009! If you were an amateur, professional or junior member in 2007 or 2008, you will be able to renew online using our new Quick Renewal. Just log in to your My USEF Account and select the Quick Renew option. All of your membership information will be there. All you have to do is review it; edit it, if necessary; submit payment; and print out a copy of your 2009 card.

In addition, the membership process has been further streamlined by doing away with the breed/discipline dues. The new USEF Competing Equestrian Membership due for all Senior Active and Junior Active members is $55. With that, you will be able to participate at all USEF Licensed Competitions, as well as receive automatic insurance and MemberPerks.

There are also two new member categories for individuals not participating in USEF Licensed Competitions. The USEF Equestrian ($35) includes the automatic insurance and access to the MemberPerks program, while the Club Equestrian ($15) includes access to MemberPerks.

If you have any questions about the new memberships, please call one of our Customer Care Agents at (859) 258-2472.

Once your membership has been processed you will be sent a membership card as well as key fobs. You are required to present proof of current USEF membership in order to compete in USEF Licensed Competitions. If you do not have your membership card, a key fob or a copy of your membership card, you will be required to pay a $30 non-refundable non-member fee. You can print a copy of your card from www.usef.org. Please note, effective 12/01/08 you will no longer be able to sign a membership affidavit in lieu of paying the non-member fee.

Your USEF membership also verifies your amateur status. If you wish to compete in amateur classes and you have not presented proof of USEF membership with Amateur Certification, you will also be charged the non-member amateur fee of $30.

Competitions that are also recognized by an Affiliate organization may require membership in the Affiliate organization to be eligible to compete. You may be required to show proof of membership in the Affiliate organization, e.g. USHJA, USDF, USEA, AHA, AMHA, ASHA, IALHA, AHHS, IFSHA and others.

USEF Membership information can be verified online, however, should the competition office not have the opportunity to verify your membership information online, you will be assessed the relevant non-member fees.

The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation® is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its human and equine athletes.